Pilot and co-pilot did not ask to fly together

MH370 The pilot and the co-pilot of the missing flight MH370 did not request to fly together based on information from MAS, says acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

 

He added that he would not comment on speculation on what might have caused the aircraft to deviate from its original flight path to avoid prejudicing ongoing investigations.

 

"I understand the hunger for new details. But we do not want to jump to conclusions.

 

"Out of respect to the families, and the process itself, we must wait for the investigation to run its course,” he said at the daily press conference on the MH370 crisis today.

 

Police are currently investigating all 239 crew and passengers on board, as well has ground crew who had handled the aircraft.

 

There had been intense speculation that Boeing 777-200ER’s pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah and co-pilot Fariq Ab Hamid were responsible for the flight deviation, following confirmation that the aircraft had been deliberately taken far off course.

 

Meanwhile, Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar denied media reports that Malaysian authorities have repeatedly rejected Interpol’s offers to help with investigations.

 

"That is not true, we work with every agency including Interpol," he told the same press conference.

 

Terrorism law invoked

 

He added that the case is now being investigated under Section 130C of the Penal Code, which deals with acts of terrorism.

 

"This provides for investigation into offences of hijacking, sabotage, acts of terrorism, and all offences under the Aviation Offence Act, so that covers everything.

 

"That means we are intensifying our investigation, but our focus (on the four areas) remain the same," he said, referring to possibility of hijacking, sabotage, personal problems of passengers and crew, and psychological problems of passengers and crew.

 

The provision also allows the police to invoke special powers under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma), he said.

 

Thus far, he said some foreign intelligence agencies have cleared all passengers onboard flight MH370, but it is still waiting for a response on Malaysia’s request for background checks from other countries.

 

However, he stressed that all passengers and crew are still under investigation, in addition to the ground crew.

 

When asked about the police search at the pilot and co-pilot's residence, Khalid said police have disassembled Zaharie’s flight simulator and reassembled it at a police office to be examined by experts.